Hair drier



April 12, 1949. s s s 2,466,915

HAIR DRIER Filed July 12. 1946 2 Shets-Sheet 1 w iii;

ATTORNEY P 1949- s. R. SHIELDS 2,466,915

HAIR DRIER Filed July 12. 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 36 57 W 13 Z5 Z5 Z5 24BY Jim ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 12, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAIRDRIER Stanley R. Shields, Salt Lake City, Utah Application July 12,1916, Serial No. 683,224

3 Claims.

This invention relates to hair driers and contemplates the provision ofa portable device conducive to the comfort of a person using the same.

The invention has for an object to provide a hair drier which isportable particularly in that the entire device is supported on theperson of the user and thereby offering flexibility of movement to theuser with attending increased comfort during the period of use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hair drier of thecharacter indicated in which only a hair encompassing hood is supportedby the head of the user and the remaining elements of the equipment arecompactly arranged in a simpleunit of light weight'and designed to beslung from the shoulder of the user and thereby permitting the userfreedom of movement with resultant increased comfort.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved hood of lightweight, readily placed in position and as readily removed and foldablecompactly for space-saving storage.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hair drier embodying asmall and compact unit which includes a blower or fan and a heater forthe air passing therethrough to the hair encompassing hood, and toprovide means for slinging said unit from a shoulder of the user of thedrier.

My invention also has for its objects to provide such means that arepositive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a workingposition and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture,relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novelcombinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear inthe course of the following description. However, the drawings merelyshow and the following description merely describes one embodiment ofthe present invention, which is given by way of illustration or exampleonly.

In the drawings, like reference characters designate similar parts inthe several views.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a hair drier embodying the presentinvention as supported on the person oi. a user.

Fig. 2 is a somewhat enlarged front view of the hair enclosing hood asemployed in the invention.

Fig. 3 is a partial front view, partial vertical sectional view of theunit housing the fan and heating means.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view as taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

The portable drier of the present invention, as

illustrated, comprises, generally, a hood i0 adapted to be supported onthe head of the user, and a unit I i connected to the hood l0 andsupported as shown, by an adjustable shoulder strap 12. The unit llcompactly embodies a fan or blower l3, a motor H for operating said fanor blower, and a heater I5 disposed in the path of move ment of the airpassing between the fan and the hood.

The hood in is formed of an air impervious fabric having a hairencompassing portion it formed with a cuff-like part ll designed toengage about the head. The latter is provided with a draw or puckeringstring it so that the hood can be fastened securely in place. Normally,the hood, being made of fabric is collapsed. However, when air isdirected thereinto, it becomes inflated or distended as shown. Suitableperforations l9 are formed in the hood, as shown, to provide a venttherefor permitting continued circulation of air from the fan.

The hood is formed with an elongated reduced extension 20 which isopen-ended for connection to the unit I I. Said extension is madesufilciently long to permit normal movements of the head without causinga pull on the unit ll. When not in use, the hood ill can be easilystored by folding the same flat.

The unit ll comprises a housing 2| suitable in shape and size. The rearwall 22 of said housing is preferably inwardly or concavely curved sothat the unit will comfortably rest against and fit the hip of the user.In this manner, said housing will retain its position when slung by thestrap i2 from that shoulder of the user which is opposite to the hipsupporting the housing. The strap I2 is made to be adjusted as by abuckle 23.

The fan I3 is located within the housing 2| and consists of a fanhousing 24 having an air inlet opening 25 and a generally tubular airoutlet 26. Opening 25 is adjacent to the front wall 21 of the housing 2iwhich, in turn, is provided with smaller openings 28 so that the fan candraw air through the latter openings through the opening 25 and bedischarged from the outlet 26.

The fan blades 29 are mounted on a shaft 22 and operate in atorus-shaped part 3| of the fan housing 24. The fan blades 29 are simplyformed with arms 32 connecting said blades to the shaft 30.

The motor 14 is generally conventional, is mounted by posts 33 on thewall 22 of the housing 2| and operates the shaft 30. The wall 22 isinwardly dished to house the motor mounting screws or bolts so that theywill not impinge on the flesh oi the user.

The heater i5 is shown as comprising a heat resisting dielectric plug orcore 34 disposed axially within a tube 35 extending upwardly from theIan outlet 26 and terminating above the top of the housing 2 i, aheating element 36 wound about the core 34 and a pair of spaced supportspiders 31 and 36 supporting the core therebetween. Although not shown,it will be evident that current conductors may be connected to the endsof the heating element 36 and to the motor l4 and then be brought outfrom the housing 2| as a suitable cable 39 for connection to a source ofelectric current. Suitable switches may also be provided.

It will be evident that air, impelled by the fan i3, will pass throughthe tube 35, will be heated by the element 36 and then pass upwardly inthe extension 20 to the hood 10.

A separable, generally air-tight connection is made between the tube 35and the end of said extension by embodying an annular coiled spring 42in an end fitting 40 secured to the extension end and providin aconeavely curved annular groove or depression 4| in the upper end of thetube 35 to receive said spring in the manner shown. A suitable snap-onconnection is thus provided between the hood l and unit ll.

While I have illustrated and described what I now regard as thepreferred embodiment of my invention, the construction is, of course,subject to modifications without departing from the spirit and scope ofmy invention. I, therefore, do not wish to restrict myself to theparticular form of construction illustrated and described, but desire toavail myself of all modifications that may fall within the scope of theappended claims,

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A portable hair drier comprising an inflatable hair-encompassinghood, a cuii part defining the opening of said hood, means for adjustingsaid part to snugly engage the head whereby the hood is entirely carriedby the head, an elongated tapering tubular extension that is unitarywith the hood and extends downward therefrom to approximately the waistof the user of the drier, a unit embodying an air fan and an air heaterand having a heated air outlet connected to the lower end of saidtubular extension, said unit being arranged to rest against the rear ofa hip of the user, and a strap suspending said unit from the opposite 4shoulder, said strap being adjustable to allow slack in theextensionwhereby pull on the hood and on the head is obviated and whereby thewearer is aiIorded freedom of bodily movement during the hair-dryingperiod.

2. A portable hair drier comprising an inflatable hair-encompassing hoodthat is adjustable to snugly engage the head whereby the same isentirely carried by the head, an elongated and flexible tubularextension that extends downward from the hood to approximately the waistof the user of the drier, a unit embodying an air (an and an air heaterand having a heated air outlet, a separable air-tight connection betweensaid outlet and the lower end of the tubular extension whereby heatedair is conducted from said unit to hair within the hood. said unit beingarranged to rest against the hip 01' the user, and a strap forsuspendingsaid unit from the shoulder opposite to said hip, said tubular extensionhaving slack therein to free the hood and the head of the user formovement relative to said unit.

3. A portable drier comprising, in combination, a head-borne inflatablehair-encompassing hood, a shoulder-borne unit adapted to rest againstthe hip of the user and embodying a support strap adapted to engage theshoulder opposite to said hip, said unit embodying an air fan and an airheater and having a heated-air outlet; and an elongated and flexibletubular extension of the hood separably connected to said outlet toconduct heated air to'the hood to inflate the same and to dry hairtherein, said extension having slack therein to afford relative movementof the hood and unit and, therefore, freedom of movement of the body andhead of the user.

STANLEY R. SHIELDS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 608,928 Taylor Aug. 9, 1898757,645 Bassett Apr. 19, 1904 961,498 Hunnewell June 14, 1910 1,506,041Bassette et a1 Aug. 26, 1924 1,743,963 Gaire Jan. 14, 1930 1,835,337Rose Dec. 8, 1931 2,227,262 Kleine Dec. 31, 1940 2,266,653 Miller Dec.16, 1941

